Special Reports

[SOCIAL WIRE] Japanese Athletes Mourn NBA Legend Kobe Bryant’s Death

Published

4 years ago

January 28, 2020

Galileo Ferrari

: FILE - In this July 26, 2018 file photo former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna watch during the U.S. national championships swimming meet in Irvine, Calif. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. Gianna also died in the crash. She was 13. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

: FILE PHOTO: Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant jumps for a rebound against the Denver Nuggets during Game 2 of their NBA Western Conference final basketball playoff game in Los Angeles, May 21, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

: FILE PHOTO: Kobe Bryant of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers attends a gathering with his fans in Shanghai during his "Supernatural Asia Tour 2007" September 8, 2007. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

: FILE - In this June 14, 2009 file photo Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant kisses his daughter, Gianna, after defeating the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Game 5 to win the NBA basketball finals in Orlando, Fla. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. Gianna also died in the crash. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

: In this Feb. 14, 2016, file photo, Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant (24) hugs his daughter Gianna on the court in warm-ups before first half NBA All-Star Game basketball action in Toronto. Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and several others are dead after their helicopter went down in Southern California on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (Mark Blinch/The Canadian Press via AP)

Current and former professional athletes in Japan joined the world in mourning the death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant.

The news broke early Monday, January 26 PST, that the helicopter Bryant was on, alongside his daughter Gianna and seven others, crashed near Calabasas, California. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.

On Twitter, we look at how Japanese athletes reacted.

I can’t. pic.twitter.com/Vc3dJZztYS
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) January 27, 2020
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"It must be a lie.. Kobe…"

嘘でしょ… コービー
— Yuta Watanabe 渡邊雄太 (@wacchi1013) January 26, 2020

Japanese text: "There's no way I can believe it."

I don't know what's happened.
I can't believe it... #8 #24
信じられる訳がない。
— Yudai Baba 馬場雄大 (@babaseyo) January 26, 2020

"A scary reminder that human life is but fragile. People say that life changes when people close to them die, but the fact that I feel that because of Kobe's death is proof that he was so great. #BeThankfulForLiving

本当に人の命というのは脆くて儚いというのを痛感する。身近な人が死ぬと人は人生観が変わると言うけど、コービーの死で僕がそれを感じてるということは彼がそれだけ偉大だった証拠なんやろうね。#人生に感謝
— KeisukeHonda(本田圭佑) (@kskgroup2017) January 27, 2020

"Kobe. Condolences from my heart"

コービー😭😭😭 心からご冥福をお祈りいたします。
— 湊谷アレクシス (@minatoya23) January 27, 2020

"Kobe…"

コービー、、、
— Fumiya Kogure (@pokkii238) January 27, 2020

"Kobe Bryant's death.
Athletes who responded immediately.
Even though the sport is different,
athletes understand each other,
I think there are things that only athletes can understand.
I wonder how it is for everyone else.
Therefore, I live every day to the best I can.
That's what Kobe taught me.

コービー・ブライアントの死去。
直ぐに反応するアスリート達。
種目は違えど、
アスリートだから分かり合える、
アスリートしか分かり合えないコトがあると思う。
人はどうなるかわからない。
だから、毎日を精一杯生きる。
改めてコービーに教えてもらいました。
Thanks KOBE R.I.P
— 播戸竜二 (@ban11_mr12) January 27, 2020
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"What? You must be joking? Kobe…"

え？嘘だろ？コービー。
— Jun Uzawa 【鵜澤潤】 (@big11jun) January 26, 2020

"Shocked since this morning.
Thank you for everything."

朝からショックだ。
今まで本当にありがとうコービー
R.I.Pkobe🙏🏽#kobebryant #kobebryant8 #kobebryant24 #ripkobe https://t.co/gIHNLs3cQr
— 田中大地 (@daichi_08jp) January 26, 2020

"It's so hard to believe that Kobe is…"

信じられない...
あのコービーが...
R.I.P. https://t.co/VURAjYaWOk
— 岩田涼太(Ryota Iwata) (@ry0tq06) January 26, 2020

: A tribute to Kobe Bryant was shown on the screen before the start of an NBA basketball game between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers in Orlando, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)

: Jan 26, 2020; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Fans walk in front of a billboard that displays a remembrance to former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant who died in helicopter crash on Sunday. Mandatory Credit: Sandy Hooper-USA TODAY

: Jan 26, 2020; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Fans mourn the loss of NBA legend Kobe Bryant outside of the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Mandatory Credit: Harrison Hill-USA TODAY

: Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant sits on the shoulders of her father, Kobe, as they attend the women's soccer match between the United States and China Thursday, April 10, 2014, in San Diego. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. Gianna also died in the crash. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi, file)